Coach Vendrell On Garin: "He’s A Thoroughbred"
In April, Pepe Vendrell became Cristian Garin’s coach. It may have been less than three months, but the new setup already has the Chilean World No. 43 moving in the right direction.
On Monday, Garin will play in the round of 16 at Wimbledon against Alex de Minaur. After concluding a successful spell overseeing Roberto Bautista Agut, Vendrell believes his latest charge has all the tools at his disposal to ensure the good results can continue.
“He [Garin] is a thoroughbred,” Vendrell told ATPTour.com in London. “A very powerful player who likes making decisions, dictating the game, being aggressive, dominating points. That’s the player I was presented with. He has a lot of inner strength, and that’s what he has to control and balance. Find a good balance so that his tennis becomes more consistent and more stable.
“Garin is a player with huge potential. He’s already proved his quality on tour. When he’s confident, with his A-game, his shots are pure quality.”
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Early in 2022, Garin suffered four consecutive defeats (at Cordoba, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago and Miami). The addition of Vendrell to his team was a breath of fresh air. The pair gelled immediately, establishing the foundations of a relationship that should bear plenty of fruit for the Chilean in the future.
“I was presented with a very receptive player,” acknowledged the Spanish coach. “Since we started working, Cristian has shown humility and a desire to be taught. I’m grateful for that, although it is common when you’re going through a tough spell. He had a few difficult months, but we’ve spoken about it, and we agree that a player’s career will have times like that.
“The important thing is to remain calm, get back to work and, day by day, rediscover the passion. From there, he has to progress and improve his tennis, his fitness and his tactics, laying bricks in the wall to see how far we can go.”
Garin is in the last 16 of Wimbledon for the second year on the trot after making the most of the opportunity that was presented to him when Matteo Berrettini, his first opponent and one of the favourites for the title, had to withdraw after contracting COVID-19.
“The second week of a Grand Slam feels great, as it always does”, said Vendrell. “Being in these rounds gives you reason to be happy. We’re aware that the tournament started with a good opportunity for us after the withdrawal of Berrettini, one of the hot favourites. Cris was able to make the most of it and play good matches. The draws only open up if you’re prepared and ready for it. And he’s done that.”
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The question now, of course, is how far can the five-time ATP Tour champion go?
“Cristian’s limits will be determined by our progress,” answered Vendrell. “He still has significant room for improvement, and he’s admitted that to me. He wants to work to understand this game better, and that’s what we’re doing. With a constructive approach, which ultimately is what allows you to have chances in matches against the best.
“Talking about limits... is a waste of time. The limit is tomorrow, working to be better and staying focused on why things are happening. Day to day work gives you that improvement. Our biggest concern is bettering his level and getting court time with the best.
“To do that, you have to win matches and reach rounds like this, the second week of a Grand Slam. Here we have a great chance to improve a lot because this is where you see the biggest psychological difference in tennis.”
- This story was translated from ATPTour.com/es